The field of the invention generally relates to gas cook-top appliances, and more particularly relates to such appliances that have glass or ceramic top panels to which the gas burners are sealed.
As is well known, electric cook-top appliances having glass or ceramic top panels have been used for many years, and they have been popular for a variety of reasons. For example, many people like the shiny smooth and modern appearance of a glass top surface. Also, a glass or ceramic top is generally easy to clean. Further, if the heating elements are sealed to the glass top, spills are retained on the top surface so that they are relatively easy to clean.
More recently, glass top panels have been used for gas cook-tops. More specifically, a commercially available gas cook-top has a glass top with a plurality of relatively large apertures. Each of the gas burners is centrally mounted to a downwardly recessed metal pan which has a rim suspended by a peripheral portion of a respective one of the apertures in the glass top. Thus, the metal pans provide mounting apparatus for the burners. The glass is a relatively low temperature glass such as, for example, 450.degree. F. glass, so the metal pans also serve to limit the temperature to which the glass is subjected. Further, the metal pans function to locate burner grates that support cooking utensils above the burners.
The above described arrangement, however, has some drawbacks. More specifically, the metal pans add to the cost of the product. Also, spills, dirt, and grease may accumulate in the metal pans, and such accumulations or spoils are difficult to clean. Further, if a cooking utensil with a large bottom is used, the combustion products can be deflected outwardly heating the glass top to a temperature above its safe limit.